Love me a cupcake!

I just *heart* these cards!!!!!



Click here to see more!

This woman really knows her stuff. Checkout the REAL cupcakes she makes here.

French Laundry Attempt #3!

Or is it only our second? technically the fourth? Oh whatever, I don't remember now. But last week was all about experimenting and trying out another new dish from the FL cookbook! I was so excited! This time I was going to attempt the Butter Poached Lobster with Beet Essence and Pommes Maxim. The lobster, ofcourse, in that dish is fantastic! It doesn't get any better when lobster is poached in BUTTER. But in addition, there is this fabulous beet essence sauce. Mmmm, just the right touch of butter, just the right touch of tang...I'm starting to sound like Remy from Ratatouille. Anyway - each day last week was spent experimenting with a piece of the lobster recipe (& also a couple other things on the menu I was planning). By the end of the week - I was ready! (or so we thought) We had never worked with live lobsters before and I was a little worried; especially since lobsters aren't quite the food you want to just experiment with. So, the day of, we were supposed to steep the lobsters first (partially cook them just to be able to get the meat out of the shell) and then refrigerate them. That took a little longer than I expected but it ended up going well. But that whole lobster process is for another post sometime later maybe.

Anyway - here are some pics:

Getting ready! Stations set!

Recipes for courses 1-6?
2nd set of plates in the background. (1st set out of view to the left)
Some melon being prepared for Endive and Melon salad with prociutto ribbons.


Recipes for last two courses (not including compliments)
3rd and last set of plates in the background.
Trusty stand mixer...actually no needed on the day of.
Coffee maker at the ready!


Printed menus for the guests


Nice pic my husband took


The table


Amuse Bouche: Cold Cucumber & Melon Minted Soup


Lined up for service!


Endive & Melon Salad with prociutto ribbons


Smoked Salmon with Creme Fraiche


Amaretto Prawns


Maguro (Tuna) Tower


French Laundry Butter Poached Lobster w/ Beet Essence and Pommes Maxim


Foie Gras Pate with tasting salts


Filet Mignon w/ Cabernet Reduction Sauce, side of butternut squash and sage puree with browned butter sage leaves


Manchengo Cheese and Black Grapes


Deep Fried Caramel Macadamia Nut crusted Vanilla Bean Ice Cream on a Dark Chocolate Sauce


After dinner coffee ofcourse


Mignardises: Creme Brule, Chocolate dipped strawberries and Amaretti Cookies


The Aftermath...doesn't look too bad huh? Time for some Zzzzzz's!

*for more notes on the food...click here

Week 4 Results: The Wilton Rose

Week 3 Results: Drop Flower Cake

graveyard of broken drop flowers :(

Week 2 Results: Hello-Kitty

Point at which my hand cramped up. Note to self, buy the 3 start tip to make this job a whole lot easier...or take the fondant class and be done with it!




The ugliest bottom border ever. Got lazy at this point and just wanted to finish it.

This cake is dedicated to my niece in Guam. :) This cake was made not too long after her birthday and she was my inspiration. Too bad I can't send it to her. I hope she likes it!

An abundance of cake...

My poor co-workers...I don't think they've had to eat so much cake before. I had been taking a Wilton brand cake decorating class (Class 1) from the craft store down the street and ended up making a cake a week for 3 weeks straight. It was a four week class, but the first class doesn't count since you just show up with no cake, just a pen and pencil.

It was a good experience, though stressful at times trying to get all your icings in all the required textures and in all the colors you want for your cakes. That was probably the hardest thing to organize. I had to leave work early twice to get it all done! *sigh*, not acceptable. If you take the classes people, don't be like me, the procrastinator! All your cakes can be made and frozen ahead of time and the icings last more than a couple weeks in your fridge so there's no reason to stress out like I did if you do your homework like you're supposed to. Anywhoo - here's the results of my class. :)

Results of 2nd Week: (6" round, Hello-Kitty character cake created using a trace-transfer, filled with a bunch of stars and dots and a really ugly simple piping along the bottom border...I got tired)



See follow up posts for detailed picture breakdown of this cake.

Results of 3rd Week: (8" round pink & white drop flower cake with vanilla-butter butter cream frosting)



See follow up posts for detailed picture breakdown of this cake.

Results of 4th Week: (10" round chocolate buttercream frosted cake with pink rose bouquet accent and sweet pea and shell border)




See follow up posts for detailed picture breakdown of this cake.